Tyagi roots for Nitish, blames Manjhi for political imbroglio

Blaming Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi for the political imbroglio in the party, JD(U) National General Secretary KC Tyagi Friday said former CM Nitish Kumar "will rescue the boat that is being sunk by Manjhi".

Patna: Blaming Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi for the political imbroglio in the party, JD(U) National General Secretary KC Tyagi Friday said former CM Nitish Kumar "will rescue the boat that is being sunk by Manjhi".

"Enough is enough now. Nitish Kumar will rescue the boat of JD(U) that is being sunk by Manjhi. Our National President Sharad Yadav is keeping a close watch on the entire scenario enveloping the party," Tyagi told reporters while coming out of Kumar's residence, where he had gone to attend a meeting of SC, Mahadalit and ST cells of the party.

Tyagi's comments are being seen as an indication that Kumar, who had relinquished his post in May 2014 after the dismal performance by JD(U) in the Lok Sabha elections, will be re-elected the leader of legislature party at the meeting of MLAs and MLCs convened by Yadav tomorrow replacing Manjhi as the Chief Minister.

"There is no other leader of the stature of Kumar in the country. Several parties suffered heavy losses in the general election, but only Kumar showed the moral courage to resign from his position," Tyagi said.

"Manjhi had been nominated a Chief Minister only till November. He had neither been given the mandate by the public, nor did the legislature party elect him," he added.

Elaborating on the way the entire event unfolded since yesterday, Tyagi charged Manjhi of "going back on his word" regarding the JD(U) legislature party meeting.

Manjhi had earlier today termed the proposed meeting of the JD(U) Legislature Party tomorrow as "unauthorised" and has instead called a Legislature Party meeting in his capacity as Leader of the House on February 20.

Tyagi said Sharad Yadav had gone for lunch at the Chief Minister's official residence yesterday, where it was Manjhi who suggested to him during their discussion that the legislature party meeting should be convened.

"The legislature party meeting was convened at Manjhi's request and scheduled for February 7, but now he is calling it unauthorised and saying he will not attend it," Tyagi added.